Headaches Below 2800' Elevation

I get debilitating headaches every time I go below 2800’ in elevation. These headaches come on within minutes and go away just as fast when I go back above 2800’ elevation. I have been too many Doctors and have had just as many scans on my head which show nothing out of the normal. All the Doctors are at a complete loss on how to treat this condition. Please any help will be greatly appreciated.  

[allmymarbles]

I have no idea. Your condition is the opposite of other people's who suffer altitude sickness.

[Eddie1994]

I suspect that air pressure has much to do with your headaches.  The following serves as an example.  Above the surface of a pool of water, most people feel normal air pressure.  Dive a few feet to ten feet below the surface and you will feel a far greater pressure.  So much so that your eustachian tube will need to equalize and sometimes can be painful.  Because you spend much time above 2,800', as you venture to lower altitudes you begin to feel the air pressure increase with resulting pain.  

Maybe a process of altitude desensitization could be helpful.  I would envision a very slow gradual descent little by little over time.  For example, decreases of 100' feet for a few hours or less depending how you feel then keep gradually going lower over a few days and doing this a little bit over time.  It could be a long process, but if you try it step by step you should see some improvement.  

You might also try to document a stepping process to see at what footage drop you begin to experience headaches, i.e. drop 100' for ten minutes see what happens, then try another 100' @ ten minutes, then try 200' see what happens.  It will be trial and error.  

[19411]

Thanks so much for the responses.

Yes allmymarbles it is just the opposite of what most people suffer from in altitude sickness. My Doc even tried me on the altitude meds thinking it would thicken my blood and slow it down from rushing through my brain, but it gave me headache above the 2800’ level!

Eddie1994 my Doc agrees with you in that the headaches are likely caused by barometric pressure change. But what is weird is that I used to live at 500’ elevation and was fine for years. I then had an accident and almost died and was in a coma for 2 weeks. It was after that the headaches started getting gradually worse to where they never went away. It was just by chance that we moved to a 4000’ elevation and I have no headaches at all. That is a good idea on trying a step down process and I will give it a try.

Thanks again for your help.

[Eddie1994]

Could you elaborate a little more about your accident.  Did you suffer a head injury?  Were you diagnoised with a trumatic brain injury (TBI)?

Your answers could give important clues to your condition.  I look forward to your answers.  Thanks, Eddie1994